All Bundled Up Again

Happy New Year 2021, everyone! Are you up to the challenge of a new year? Have you made any resolutions (besides “get through it”)? I’m suffering from a 2020 emotional hangover. They say there’s a shot you can get to help with that but I can’t seem to get my hands on it…

One nice thing about the prior year for our family was an exchange of niceties with our kind next-door neighbors…I’ll call them Jack and Jill. Jill stops by weekly with coloring books, chalk, bubble wands and seasonal craft projects for my daughters. I protest but she always says “I feel so sorry for them. I wanted to do this”. When Jack runs to the bakery, he’s sure to come over with cupcakes.

Right before Christmas, we found them on our doorstep laden (and I mean laden) with packages for all of us. As we sipped their delicious wine, and devoured their cheese and sausage, my husband and I agreed that there are some things that real estate can’t account for. Jack and Jill are priceless.

We’ve done our best to compensate, of course. My older daughter runs across our lawn with me to their house whenever we make a new batch of corn muffins or chocolate chip cookies. We’ve gotten into a habit where she rings the doorbell, sets the treat on their front step and then runs the 6+ feet back waiting for Jack or Jill to peek out. 

It’s a happy moment – waiting and knowing we get to treat them to a nice surprise.

Though, yes, there’s also a split second where I worry that we’ve interrupted their afternoon nap.

It has certainly made me think about my grandmother’s life on the farm. In a place where people lived further from each other and without Netflix, it’s likely that her family’s relationship with the neighboring farm families must have been strong too. They wouldn’t have needed to bother the neighbors for a cup of milk (hardy har har) but the children would have been school friends. 

Note to self: find out which farms neighbored the Dunning Farm!

Today’s pictures are from a page in the album entitled “Clara, Ferris and Katie with the Furs”. Like me over winter break, I assume that Eleanor and her sister-in-law may have been desperate to entertain the pre-K contingent. My grandmother (either 1 year old if this is early 1914 or almost 2 if late 1914) may have been inside throwing a tantrum. 

During the summer, Jill told us about a tradition she has of writing down nice memories on card stock and then storing them in a jar. On Christmas Day, she and Jack then take turns reaching in and reading each of the little notes out loud. It’s a way of remembering all the good and funny things that happened over the year.

She (of course) cut up some card stock for my daughter and I emptied a pickle jar so that we could do the same.

Well, friends, it was a grand success! I highly recommend it, especially in a year where the ‘big picture’ may not seem so bright. I saved a few of our funny ones so you could get a taste.

1. Child #1 (9 yrs. old) wanting mom to towel her off after a bath: “I got myself dry last time. I’m due for a towel off.”

2. Child #1 picking up mom’s free weights: “Well, at least someone around here cares about upper body strength!”

3. Child # 1 playing mom to Child # 2 (4 yrs. old) who proceeds to do something dangerous.

Child # 2: “Can I do it again, mom?”

Child # 1: “What kind of a fake mom would I be if I didn’t let you take risks?”

Nothing that will be written in the history books but just…the little things that made us laugh or that we were grateful for throughout the year. In the end, that’s what makes up a year, right? Trying on mom’s furs on a dull winter day.

It’s a pleasure to “speak” to you again. Please take a second to tell me about some of your 2020 moments! Or your 2021 goals (More puzzles? Books? Ooh..travel – remember that?)